Deal on Washington transportation budget reached

OLYMPIA, Wash. — State lawmakers have reached an apparent deal on a transportation budget.

The state House is expected to vote on the compromise $8.8 billion budget over the weekend, with the Senate likely to follow suit before the regular session ends on Sunday.

The two sides' budget plans were relatively close to begin with. The compromise budget takes the Senate position of assuming higher toll revenues generated by the Alaskan Way Viaduct Tunnel project. It also comes closer to the Senate's position of insisting that the Legislature have more say in which highway preservation projects are funded by additional federal dollars or cost savings elsewhere.

The deal leaves unresolved the more contentious question of a transportation revenue package that would augment the budget.